The HR Professor - The HR Professor

Employee Engagement and Retention

Open Vs. Private Work Spaces

Open workspaces are becoming more popular, especially in high technology industries. Robert Half published an article, “Open Debate: Many Companies Move Toward Open Vs. Private Workspaces” that summarizes the pros and cons of each set up. The majority (56 percent) of human resources managers whose companies have changed their workspaces in recent years said their companies moved to an open floor plan to enhance collaboration. But, does the open plan really enhance collaboration? It does not ba

Health and Wellness, Benefits

Is Paid Parental Leave Fair?

A recent survey (https://www.bna.com/survey-38-employers-n73014451081/) found that 38% of U.S. employers offer paid parental leave and that the average amount of time off offered was 4.1 weeks. This benefit is being offered more commonly due to weak federal and state laws supporting working families. But, is the benefit fair to those who are either past child-bearing years or for those who choose to not have children? I think organizations should change the benefit to cover all types of fami

Employee Relations

The Dreaded Lunch Thief

You went to dinner at your favorite restaurant and were dreaming all morning about the leftovers that you brought to work. Or, you spent all day Sunday cooking and preparing your lunches for the week. However, when you go to the office refrigerator to enjoy your meal, you realize it is gone. There is a lunch bandit on the loose! This happens at every company, and at every company, the complaints come to HR to handle with the expectation of us catching the thief somehow. Are we expected to move

Am I Eligible for Unemployment Benefits?

I received the following question from a reader this week: I was recently placed on a 60-day PIP (Performance Improvement Plan). If I am not successful and am terminated, will I still be eligible for unemployment benefits? Yes. Generally, when your employer decides that you are not performing up to standards or that you do not have the required competencies for the role or that you are not a culture fit and terminates you, you will be eligible for benefits. I’d recommend documenting everyt

Leadership and Management

Mastering Office Politics

If I could choose one skillset that I have not mastered yet in my career so far, it would be office politics. I dislike politics for so many reasons: the manipulation, butt-kissing, stealing credit, publicly pointing out others’ inadequacies, favoritism, and so on can be hard to watch. Yet, I understand the importance of this skill if one is ever to advance past a certain point in their career. Office politics is everywhere, even in a company as small as two people. Since I am not an expert, I

Right to Disconnect

A lawmaker in New York City has proposed legislation that would fine companies who required employees to connect electronically after hours. No other city in the United States has a law similar to this. If a private organization has 10 or more employees, the Right to Disconnect Bill would ban them from requiring employees to respond to texts, e-mails, and other electronic communications outside of their scheduled work hours. The potential fines would range from $250 to $2,500. If an employee c

Leadership and Management

Why Aren’t You Delegating?

You are working nights and weekends. You are regularly behind by at least 100 e-mails in your inbox. Your desk is a mess. Your day is spent running from one meeting to the next and getting nothing accomplished. You feel like there is never enough time to get all your tasks completed. You may have a small or even large team that you manage. They seem to have a reasonable work/life balance and don’t appear to be as frazzled as you are. They may even ask you if you need help on a project or task.

Leadership and Management

Whom Should HR Report To?

Over the years, I have been fortunate to report to a variety of functions including the CEO, VP of HR, HR Director, and HR Managers. When I apply to new jobs, I am always curious to know who the hiring manager is. I take pause if the hiring manager works in finance. I would be concerned about a couple of potential red flags in this situation. The primary role of HR is to support the business by recruiting, retaining, and developing the best employees. Well, this costs money. In order to attr

Health and Wellness

Dying for a Paycheck

Jeffrey Pfeffer, author of Dying for a Paycheck, recently wrote an article for BBC where he noted the following: “Harmful workplace practices include things like long working hours, work-family conflict, economic insecurity arising from job losses and not having regular or predictable work hours, an absence of job control and, in the US, not having health insurance.” Workplace stress leads to chronic diseases including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, headaches, depression, and anxiety. I don

Employee Relations, Employee Engagement and Retention, Leadership and Management

Are Employee Surveys Effective?

At some point in your career, you’ve more than likely been asked to participate in an employee survey. Organizations conduct these surveys for different reasons: • To ask for feedback and get a “pulse” on employee satisfaction and engagement • To instill an open-door policy where feedback and transparency is welcomed • To make improvements within the company I’ve worked at companies that conducted surveys annually, quarterly, or not at all. The ones that did not conduct surveys chose this

HR Law, Leadership and Management

When to Call an Employment Attorney

HR professionals are not lawyers - not even close. We can help keep you out of legal trouble, but in some cases, it is a best practice to hire a licensed attorney. You should already have a relationship with a local employment law firm because many of these concerns are time-sensitive and you will need their guidance immediately. Here are some examples: • Upon receipt of a letter from an attorney representing a current or former employee • If you receive an EEOC complaint • Before terminatin

Leadership and Management, Employee Relations

Losing Your Job Builds Character

Picture this. Your manager schedules an unexpected or last minute meeting with you with a vague subject line. When you arrive in the conference room, your site HR Representative is sitting alongside your manager. You immediately know something isn’t right. Your heart starts to beat faster, your hands may begin to shake, and/or you may begin to sweat. And then it happens. Your manager delivers the blow: “We have some bad news. You are being terminated/your position is being eliminated effective